Condenser assembly jig



NOV. 6, 1934. M, H, NETT 1,979,856

CONDENSER ASSEMBLY JIG Original Filed April 7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED. STATES ATE T o FicE.

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Morris 11-. Bennett, Prospect, Conn., assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn a.corporstion of Connecticut Original application April '1, 1932, Serial No.

603,785. Divided and this application Decemher I, 133, Serial No. 701,321

-5 Claims. (01. 29-34) The present invention relates to condensers'and to the method of manufacturing. condensers, and, more particularly, adjustable multiple plate condensers er the dielectric .type. f

5 An important obiect of the invention is to provide assembly jig by means of which, in accorda'ncewith the method herein described, a condenser may'be assembled having exceptional-v lyaccurate'spacing of the plates and permanence oftheir predetermined spaced relation.

In accordance with the invention, not only can a single unit groupfoi'condenserplates be assembled, but a plurality of rotor units for a gangcondenseh may, equally well, al1-be assembled as I a of units and withthe same case and cm- L ciency as the of the plates of one unit has heretofore been accomplished. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken .2 in connection with the'accompanying drawings,

which illustrate a preferred embodiment of an assembly Jig const cted in accordance with the invention and whic alsoillustrate certain condenser structure resulting from assembly by means ofthe jig a hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partlyin section, of

ang enser assembled in accordance with resent invention} mensesacing. 1; i898 vertical transverse"sectional view theline33oirlg..2;i j is an enlarged transverse of one of the rotor "and taken on the of vl lg, '2;

51s anathema-y view showing one of get together;

Pigf'i is'a'iragm' tary view showing in more detail the rotor plates :and sleeve in their assembledrelation; 1w

rig. 8a top plansview of the spacing and yholding :Iigfor maintaining, in/spaced relation for assembly-to a common sleev'e', a plu-' .rality 6': groups of 'rotor' plates to form the several rotor plate units'of a' gang conc'l'enser,- and showing the rotor assembling toolf.

, Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectlonarview takenon the line 2-9 of Fig. 8;

Figs. 10 is a top plan View ofthe holdingland spacing membly'jig for the assembly of a plu- 55, 'rality-of statorplates'to' 10111! a stator'plateufilt,

:2 a a vertical Iongitudinal sectional view.

"sleeve just prior to their- 40 PlgfB is'aview ofthe' same-parts showing them condenser units both vertically and laterallyas shown in Figs. 2 and 3 toprovide shields for the several units, which, within the condenser frame, may be shielded by a similar shiel ,8 plate 18.

r The stator plates 19 forming a single unit are assembled together by means oi stator plate sleeves 20, which pass through the several stator plates of'a unit-near opposite lower edges of the 7 plates, as' indicated in Fig. 3, the assembly of and connection between said sleeves'andstator platesfbeing; hereinafter more 'fully described. Each statorplate assembly sleeve 20 preferably also through and: is similarly connecte d with the spaced-apart parallel arms 22 of a stator plate bracket 24 (Rig. 1), which is secured by screws 26, or otherwise, to an insulating strip 28' whose ends are securedas at 30 to the opposite frameendplates 10 and 12. It will 'be understood that a pair of brackets 24 is provided for .each stator plate unit and that the several stator plate units are insulated from each other e by reason, of the unit One'group', or, as here shown,'several-groups or units oirotor plates are assembled on a single sleeve in electrical contact therewith and 'in fixed, permanently maintained, spaced relation there- Asshowmthe rotorplates' 40 are assembled on the rotorplate assembly sleeve 42, the assembly being accomplished ashereinafter more fully described. At each end of the sleeve 42 a=cohical bushing or bearing 4415 provided, fast on sleeve 42. one cf-the bearing bushings- 44 is rotatably mounted-in a conical seat provided for it ina boss 46 formed as an integral part of, or carried by, the end frame plate12. The other bushmg 44 bears rotatably in a conical seat provided for it in a bearing member 48 extending through and threaded in the frame end plates 10, andaxially adjustable 'therein and provided with a locking washer 50, by which the bearing 48 may no be v locked in fixed adjusted relation to the frame end plate 10.

' Into each end of the otor plate sleeve is inserted for a short distance e reduced, longitudinally grboved or toothed end 56 of a short stub shaft 58, the teethofwhichbite into the sleeve metal so that each stub shaft is non-rotatably fixed with respect to the rotor plate sleeve. Rotation of one of the stub shafts 58, therefore, causes rotation of the rotor plates with respect to their associated stator plates for effecting variation in condenser capacity. l

A trimmer condenser may be associated with each of the main condenser units and, as here shown, each may include a relatively resilient metallic plate 60 bent as indicated in Fig. 3, the bottom of the plate being secured, as by a screw 62, to the insulation strip 28. The'portion 64 of the plate may be turned down to form a wire ter- 2 minal connection. The upper portion 66 of the plate 60 may be moved toward or allowed to move from the main condenser frame by a screw 68 taking into said frame and which bears against the upper portion 66 of the trimmer condenser plate, which is normally urged away from the main condenser frame by its own resilience, a'

small insulating strip '70 being provided between the trimmer condenser plate and the main condenser frame, and a screw head insulating washer 72 being provided to prevent screw 68 from making electrical contact with the trimmer condenser plate. A wiper '74 may, if desired, contact with the rotor sleeve 42 and shielding plate 18.

, Referring now more particularly to the assembly jig of the present invention, and especially to Figs. 8 and 9,-for the assembling of the rotor platesl into one or more rotor plate units or groups upon a rotorplatesleeve 42, a jig or rotor plate hglder is provided and may comprise a 9 9,, sides grand eli m and 9.6.. A removable space; 98 may be .securedto the bottom or the holdergand isprovided witha plurality. of spacing elements 106 whose-thickness is the same as the space desired between the rotor plates and which in turn, are spaced apart ,a. distance. equal to the thickness, the rotoriplates. to accommodat'ethe rotor plates between them., It is evident that the holder -may be designed to.ac-- commoglate the plates for a single condenser unit orjor asmany unitsas may be desiredto form a an 0p ens r-- In assembling one or,.more units or groups bf plates inaccordance with the invention, the in dividualplates arefirst placed, as shown in Fig. 8, between the spacing members 100. Their'top edgesare-rougbly aligned and are then brought into and'piaintained during. assembly in final thy a pairoflaligning arms 104pivotally carriedbetweempairspf lugs 106 on end plate 94. These arms are shown in vertical position in Flgs 8 and 9; and arelowered to horizontal position, indicated in dotted lines'in Fig. 8, to

bear upon the upper edges of the rotor plates 40 and thereby align them in position for assembly on-the rotor plate sleeve. The aligning arms 104 are forked at their free ends-asst 1'08, and in their horizontal position the forked ends of said arms are adapted to receive. the threaded free ends of clampingrods 110 each of. which is pivotally attached at 112- to the outer face of the jig end. platesfir. .A-clamping screw or wing nut 114 is provided. on eachpivqted rod 110 to bear upon theupperlfaces -o f the arms 104. 'toclamp themifirmly. in horizqntal-position' to hold the rotor platesin alignment for the assembling operspacer elements 140, the lower edges of the stator said bearings are placed in their jig seats in they position of Fig. 8, and the rotor plate sleeve, which at this time has a diameter such thatit 'fits loosely within the rotor plate openings and bearing bushings, is thrust loosely through the rotor plates and bushings positioned in the Jig or holder. The jig end plate 94 has its seat 118 formed to prevent longitudinal movement of the rotor plate sleeve from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 8, when the sleeve has been inserted through the aligned rotor plate and bushing openings far enough to abut the portion 120 of the end plate. The sleeve 42 is made of electrically conducting material sufiiciently expansible, such as copper or other comparable material, so that when an expanding tool is forced through the sleeve it will expand radially from the position of Fig. 5 into the position of Figs. 6 and 7, exterior parts of the sleeve 42 entering or flowing between the serrations or teeth, so that the teeth have the eifect of biting into the sleeve. This results in exceptional and permanent electrical contact and secures the rotor plates and bearing bushings in' permanent predetermined spaced relation on, and in non-rotatable relation with, the rotor plate sleeve. v

For the expanding operation, atool such as the expanding tool 130 (Fig. 8) may be employed, and, as indicated, it may comprise-a shank 132 of sufficiently small diameter to fit easily withi'n the unexpanded sleeve, an enlargement 134 be-' ing carried by or formed on the shank 132, the diameter of the enlargementbeing the same as the internal diameter ofthe sleeve is-to be after the expanding operation. I 1

The plates forming each stator-group may be assembled in the same manner except that each group or unit of stator plates-is carried bysleeves 20, separate sleeves being provided for each of the stator plate units. a f

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a stator plate-jig or holder may be provided whose sides are formed with oppositely extending plate-spacing arms turn, are spaced apart fromeach=other a dis-'- tance equal to the thic'kness'of the stator plates to hold the'plates therebetween in desired spaced 1 relation. 0

In assembling the stator plates, the bracket 24 is placed in position on the holder against aguide or positioning flange 142 and the: statorplates 19 of the unit are placed between the plates, asv viewed in Figs 1l,.resting on the supporting bottom 144 of the jig, and the aligned,

generally circular openings through the stator plates aligning with the corresponding openings m5 in thebracket arm 22.. v The aligned openings in the stator plates and bracket arms receive the stator'plate sleeves 20 as in the case of the rotor plate assembly, the

sleeves being then expanded by asuitable tool 150 7 148 into serrations in the stator plates defining their openings and into similar serrations defining the bracket arm openings. Upon expansion of the sleeves 20 by the expanding tool, the sleeve material flows, as already described, intothe spaces between the serrationsor teeth, nrmly locking the stator plates andbrackets in desired electrical contact and relatively non-rotatable relation. Suitable seats 150, formed in the end plate 152 of the stator plate jig, prevent longitudinal movement 01 the sleeves in the direction of travel of the tool during the expanding operation. After expansion of the unit sleeves in the manner described, the stator plate unit may be removed from its dig and the rotor plate unit or units may be removedfrom the rotor plate jig.

The stator plate units may now be individually fixed in the'condenser frame, as indicated in Fig. 1, their cooperating rotor plates being interleaved therewith and the right-hand bearing bushing 44 being located within its boss 46. Bearing 48 is now; threaded into its opening in frame end plate 10 until it is in desired relation with the left-hand bearing bushing 44 or the rotor plate assembly, in which position the hearing 48 is locked. by the lock washer 50.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention provides for assembling the plate elements in accurately spaced relation, and for permanent maintenance of the elements in that re: lation, as well as in particularly efllcient electrical contact; and, further, that in the case of gang' condensers, the several rotor plate units may all be assembled on a single sleeve bya single operation. It will also be noted that the condenser plates may be blanked with the desired serrations or teeth and that no expensive or bulky assembling bearings orbushings are required;

also that the slotting or such bearings or bushings by milling operations, ashitherto-practiced, is

eliminated. Moreover, the openings in the .condenserplates do not have to be large enough to receive such hearings or bushings, but only large enough for a singlesleeve, with the result that valuable plate area is saved, permitting a reduction in overall size, not only '01 theplates, but also, and consequently, in the size 01 the condenser i e. Furthermore, it is notnecesary to use solder or lubricant on the plates or sleeves. It will be understood, or course, that the herein described assembly is carried out without deformingtheplates, As greataccuraeyispossible with the method of the present invention, a smaller air, gap-may be plates. Where itisdeslredtochangetromone airgaptoanother,itis onlytosubsti- This application is a division of my application Serial No. 603,785, filed April I, 1932, for Condensers and method and apparatus for making same. I

What is claimed is:

1. A condenser plate assembly holding jig having fixed therein a plurality, of parallel plate spacing projections for holding in predetermined aligned spaced parallel relation a series or con denser plates, and having a plate sleeve seat in cooperative relation to said spacing projections for preventing longitudinal movement of a condenser plate sleeve, said seat having an expanding tool accommodating opening therein, and said jig having a plurality of plate aligning abutments? 2. A condenserplate assembly holding jig having a plurality of parallel plate spacers for holding in predetermined spaced parallel relation a series of condenser plates,"and having a plate sleeve seat in cooperative relation to said spacers for preventing longitudinal movement of a icondenser plate sleeve, and a condenser plate edge aligner;

3. A condenser plate assembly holding jig including a plurality of parallel plate spacers for holdingin predetermined spaced parallel relation a series of condenser plates, a condenser plate edge aligner, means for holding said edge aligner in aligning position, and a plate sleeve seating abutment for limiting longitudinal movement of a condenser plate sleeve in a predetermined direction in said holding jig.

4. A condenser plate assembly holding jig including a plurality of parallel plate spacers for holding in predetermined spaced parallel relation a series of condenser plates, a pivotally movable condenser plate edge aligner, pivotally; movable ment "6! a condenser plate sleeve in a predetermined direction in said-holding 1H8, S d seating dating opening therein.

uoaars mnmzmrrr,

abutment having an expanding tool accommo- 

